Salvage vessel



July 24, 1951 K, J AMISON 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 38 TRUMAN K.JAMISON FIG- INVENTOR.

ATTORlVfYS July 24, 1951 T, JAMISQN 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 TRUMAN K. JAM ISONINVENTOR.

ATTORNZFVS y 24, 1951 T. K. JAMIsQN 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 TRUMAN K. JAMISONINVENTOR.

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AUWR/VEVS y 1951 T. K. JAMISON 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG ..8

TRUMAN K. .JAM ISON INVENTOR.

HTMRNB S T. K. JAMISON SALVAGE VESSEL July 24, 1951 Filed Jan. 24, 194810 Sheets-Sheet 6 v FIG-9 IN V EN TOR.

4x4 qwwdwww Rww www 4 TR UMAN K. JAMISGN AUOR/VA'VS y 24, 1951 T. K.JAMISON 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 1Q s t s 7 I YA E-n JAWQN INVENTORJuly 24, 1951 T. K. JAMISON 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 10 Sheets-$heet 8 YQUMAN K, JAMESQN IINVENTOR.

July 24, 1951 i ed Jan. 24, 1948 T. K. JAMISON 2,561,926

SALVAGE VESSEL 1o Sheets-Sheet 9 TRUMAN K. JAMIVSO INVEN A TIORNEYS July24, 1951 T. K. JAMISON 2,551,926

SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Jan. 24, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 TRUMAN K. JAMISQNINVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 24, 1 951 I UNITED STATES PATENT QFFI'CE 236L926I I SALVAGE VESSEL Truman K. Jamison, Seattle, Wash.

Application January 24, 1948, Serial No. 4,169

present invention relates to improvements in'a salvage vessel'andym'or'eparticularly, to 'a mechanism and means adapted for raising a'rh'dconveying 'sunkenvessels from a sdbriiergedpoti p' i- 1 J p is myexperi'ence that the art of raising sunken'vessels is oorly developedfrom an engineering standpoint to such a degree that "the presentdevices are poorly'designed,inefiicient ror the urposes intended, andwholly mas qua'te for the salvage of vessels from substantial depthsunder adverse conditionsof winds and Wates.

It therefore, a prime object of this invention to provide ,a salvagevessel wmenwel bejcapable "of self-powered movement, will be suitable toraise andreceive sunken vessels, and which I Will shelter and protect adamaged and u'nfioatable vessel "after it has been raised and duringtransport from the scene of salvage.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of 'n'ovelanchoring means for such a salvage vessel that will preclude harmfulmove mentfunder severe Weather conditions.

A further object resides in the provision,' in a salvage 'yessel of thetype described, 50f hoisting means "that will be flexible in use andwill 'p'erniit adjustments oi the salvaged 'v e'ss'l as to its aspect ofkeel and the like. I

One other object of the invention is to provide a novel hoistingarrangement that will perffiit'the use of greatior'ce without subjectingthe salvage vessel to undue strains and stresses duringthe salvageoperation. I r

' Yet another olobe'ctlies in the provision in a salvage vessel asmentioned, of means for dampeffing Wind andf-wave effects to the endthat the operation is conducted under sheitered conditions Withoutexposure of the workmen to the open sea 'a-t its worst. Other objectsand advantages or the invention will become apparent "during the courseof the idiie'wing description when taken in view 'of the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. '1 is a plan view of the main deck "of my salvage shipyshowing asalvaged vessel in its raised position;

Fig. 2 is a typical view in cross-section through either the port orstarboard arm of my salvage ship;

Fig. 3 is a schematic tress-sectional view of a to lifting the latter tothe sii-i'i ace';

Fig. 4 is a similar View "showing the salvaged vessel in the raisedposition; i Fig. 5 is asplan view detailing :a shock absorber mechanismused my salvage vessel;

salvage snip and a vessel be salvaged prior in Fig. '11;

Fig. 6 is 'a cross-sectional View taken on the line-6 6 of Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detaii of a calile break used in mysalv'age ship;I

Fig. 8 is a cross-'se'stiona1 view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7-; IFig. '9 is an expmceu view in perspective s'heiw ing a removablestructural section of my salvage vessel; g

Fig. 1'0 is a detail section of a pin aln'dsocket assembly used toposition "the removable 'sbti'oh o'fFi'g.'-9; Fig. 11 is a face View ofwave dampening means used in connection with the removable season ofFig. 9; I v

Fig. '1'2 -isa pla'n Vie'WOf the mechanism showr'i guide or the wavedampening means;

Fig. '14 is a perspective view of one of the counterbalance cribs; I

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of "a Weight used inthe counterbalancecrib; Fig. 16 is a plan view of an over-hanging trailelihg frameemployed in my salvage vessel; j Fig. 17 is a side elevations view ofthe name shownin Fig. 1 6;

, Fig. 18 is a sectional View taken along the lines fa -18 0f Fig. 16;and 1 Fig.1!) is a fragmentary perspective view showing my "methods 'o'fattadhihg lifting caible's to "a vessel to be salvaged. 1

Referring to Figs. 1 and :2, the main null "30 Fig. 13 a bracketedperspective View at a of my salvage ship is of' U-sh'a'ped.constiuc'tion,

comprising a bow'secti'on '32 between a port arm '34 and a starboard arm'36. Each arm of the salvage vessel is in eiiect a self contained shiphaving the usual compartments containing pro pelling machinery, crewsquarters, equipment stowage, bulkheads, hatchways, etc, and is patterned after the contemporary "ftendei ships "in use by the UnitedStates Navy, having the vari ous repair shops, such as machinelshop,foundry, sheet metal shop, shipwrights shop, and others, necessary forthe rep'airo'I" damaged vessels.

In this connection it is pointed out that there are in existence todayhundreds of ships built Tfoi: use in the recent war that can beconsidered as scrap for ordinary peace time use. In the interest ofeconomy, two identical ships are convertedto a very satisfactory 'basefor a salvage vessel by the simple addition of a bow section '32 andincidental minor alterations to the remainder of the hulls. Each arm haspropelling mechanism and a rudder and associated steering mechanism.

The steering and propelling mechanism controls.

salvaged vessel or for minor repairs. In Figure 1,'

span 38 is shown in skeleton form but normally is provided with adecking as shown in Figure 12 to permit it to readily be used as a workarea when a salvage operation is in progress.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 9, it can be seen that the spanmember is built up of steel shapes angularly braced to form a rigidunit.- similar to the usual bridge constructions. It will be noted thatthe span member has a keystone shape in plan view, and a steppedconstruction at each end and the two arms 34, 36, have a matchingstepped construction to receive the span member. Spaced at regularintervals on the horizontal surfaces of the steps in the span member isa series of tapered pins 48. When the span member is dropped into place,these pins enter co-axial sockets 42 fitted into the horizontal surfacesof the matching steps in the hull arms 34 and 36. The vertical surfacesor risers of the steps in the arms and in the span member are thenbolted together at H and 42.

Referring to Figs. 11, 12, and 13, a wave dampening means for theafter-end of the channel of my salvage vessel is shown. Between the arms34 and 36 of the vessel and preferably forward of the bridging element38, I mount gates 44 in grooves 46 formed along the edges of uprightguide members 43. U-shapedmembers 49 carried by the port and starboardarms 34 and 36 accommodate the edges of the marginal gates. Guidemembers 48 are removably mounted on bridgemember 38 by means oftrackwaysformed between opposed flange members 41 against the upper edges ofwhich overhanging lips 45 abut when bars 48 are fully down.

Arranged laterally on the port and starboard reinforced by cross rodsI44.

4 94 and valves 96 and 98, respectively. This cylinder will generally beoperated by steam, since this is most commonly available on present dayships, but it could of course use any fluid means, such as air or oil.

Upon opening valve 96, piston I88 will be forced upward, causing leverarm 84 to swing aboutfulcrum I02, applying pressure to plate I8. Thispressure is transmitted by means of compression springs I04 to uppershoe plate 16, causing cable 66 to be frictionally engaged by both upperand lower shoe plates, thus providing a very effective brake. When valve96 is closed and exhaust valve 88 opened, pressure is released andcompression springs I06 release the brake.

As detailed in Fig. 14, lift cables 66 are attached at their outboardends to counter balance cribs IID. Crib III] consists of a rectangularbox H2, with a bottom portion? 4 considerably larger than the main box,and is provided with a guard rail H6 at its outer edge, thus providing asafe working area for divers and other workmen. The bottom portion H4 isalso slightly taperedto facilitate removal from a muddy ocean bottom.The walls of box I I2 are held rigid by reinforcing cross rods I I8. Atthe center of the box, cable I22 passes through vertical pipe I28 and issuitably fastened to the bottom of crib at I24, and at its upper end'toring I26. Also fastened to ring I26 are the cables I28, I38, I32, andI34, whoselower ends are secured to eyes in chain plates I36, riveted orotherwise rigidly secured to the center ofeachside ofboxlI2.

Fig. 15 illustrates one of the weights to beused in handling and loadingthe counter balance crib. The weight takes the form of a cube andconsists of a housing I40 divided into vertical compartments by spacerwalls I42 and the whole Each section of the'cube will then be filledwith an appropriate material such as lead or concrete. Securely attachedto the bottom of the cube are two rods I 46 having, at their upper ends,bearings into t which have been fitted a lift shackle I48. This arms andspaced equi-distant are the series of arches 50. These arches are formedof two spaced apart rails 52 and 54 rigidly secured to the ship and havemounted along their peripheries at regular intervals sheaves 56, asprobably best shown in Fig. 2.

At the outboard and inboard sides of each arch and in alignment withsheaves 56 are sheaves 58 and 68, respectively, supported by brackets 62and 64, respectively. Sheaves 56, 58 and 68 form the guideway for liftcable 66.

O arch and located between Sheaves are ties and the operation clean-upis carried onto cable control brakes 68.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a lower shoe plate ID with alongitudinal groove 12 forming a slideway for cable 66. Directly overshoe plate I2 and cable 66 is the upper shoe plate I4, also havingashaped groove I6, and disposed above shoe plate I4 is a pressure plate18. These various plates are held in alignment by a series of guide pins80 located along each side of the shoe assembly. At right anglesto thebrake assembly 68 and mounted on a vertical pivot arm 82 is lever arm84, one end of which bears on the center of pressure plate 18, the otherend being connected to a vertical hydraulic cylinder 86 by means of theball and socket joint 88. Cylinder-86 has a pivoted base at 90 and isprovided with intake and exhaust lines 92 and shackle will normally fallinto a recess provided for it at either side to maintain a flush surfaceso that the weights can be conveniently stacked in the crib or on deck.Y

During salvage, the weights I48 are added to the counter balance cribsH0 until a desirable loading of the cribs is obtained to tend to liftthe sunken vessel V. As the vessel V moves upward, control is had ofthis movement to maintain an even keel or to adjust the vessel to such aremove excess weight caused by silt, damaged and useless structure, andwater that has been trapped. During this time, the salvaged vessel ismade watertight and, to a large degree, selffloating to relieve thesalvage vessel of its weight as much as possible during movement to port.or to shore.

Such lifting operations may be arranged, in the case of sloping seabottoms, to raise the salvaged vessel off the bottom some distance, andthen the salvage vessel and vessel V are moved to a point where thelatter again contacts bottom: The weights are again raised and the slacktaken from the lifting lines 66 and another lift is made. This processmay be repeated several times and it tends to minimize the possibilitythat a long and hook I60? ncek r'smi'slift: in". exposed water. hastoelc'ae conductedasincei the?v salvage vessel may be slowly. workedinto: shelter of the coast or to-aa: harbonzandzyetzfornnr prolongedperiods will it: havezto; carry the entire weight o-fi'the salvagedships a z .T At their inboard ends, cables 66 are: fastenedthe. vesselto be raised-as: shown in:- Fig. 19. 2:. Divers with under-watercutting-'torcheszwill cut- 3 relievedwfieightbeing abs,edbst-spring'srlsflvand;

a series of holes I495 in the deck and? sideaoiiiaz vesselto besalvaged. Plates I50 having hooks I252- formed at theupper endsarewelded to the: side oft-he; vessel: are passed" through the holes;I249 previously. cut; and one end is attached to the. hook: I52 theother being'fasten'edto one of a branch of cables I56. The cable branchconverges at ring I58 it'ably attached to iitacable-66t.-

During periods when the vesselt is traveling and is subject to stressesand strains, and likewise whena}- heavly l-ift iss heing'madegfit isadvisable ,to.- brace apart the port and starboardr secw tions 34 and 36intermediatethei-r ends. within the: channelthat receivefs t he salvagedvessel. This is best accomplished by. bars I64; and..I 65 carried onpivot pins 7 I 66 that arevsupponted aw jacentthe. bilge curve by carsI61. Bars. l 64;and I65 are rigidly secured under bracing conditions tothe gunwale of the opposite arm of the salvage vessel as shown in Fig.3, and may be swung and secured in an upright position, as indicated bydotted lines, when a vessel is raised into the channel or when thesebars might be otherwise obstructing operations. In the raised position,the bars I64 and I65 may be employed as masts or booms, when properlyrigged, for handling gear or the like. Bars I64 and I65 are particularlyeffective when an initial lift is being applied to break a sunken vesselloose from the sea bottom, when the load will be greatly augmented bysuction.

In Fig. 5 I show a shock absorbing mechanism which provides a resiliencyfor the auxiliary weight sustaining cables I96 when they are supportinga salvaged vessel V. This shock absorbing mechanism comprises arectangular housing I10 divided vertically across the middle wall I12secured at its ends and sides to the wall of the housing. A cross-barI14 is positioned in one of the chambers to move therein along thelongitudinal. axis of the housing under the overhanging flanges I16 andon ways I18 in the lower portion of the housing. A pull rod I80 issecured at one end to cross-bar I14, passes through the intermediatewall I12 and through the end wall I82 of the housing, and has hook I8Iformed thereon. On either side of rod I80 is a guide rod I84, whichlikewise is anchored to the cross-bar I14 and passes through walls I12and I82. Compression springs I88 are mounted on the guide rods betweenwall I12 and cross-bar I14 to resist a pull imparted to hook I8I, by theweight of vessel Vtransmitted through supplemental cables I96 that areusually attached to the gunwale. A tension spring I90 is anchored to theopposite side of wall I12, against which springs I88 rest, and it isalso anchored to a rod I84, as can be seen in Fig. 5. Tension springsI90 complement springs I88 when a pull comes on hook 'I8I and bar I80.The ends I06 of bars I84 pass through suitable guide openings in wallI82, and cables I96 are secured between hooks IBI and a sunken vesselafter being passed over suitable guide sheaves or the like to tend torelieve some of the weight of vessel V from the actual lifting cables66, this Short: lengths; 'ofchain: 1 I54? 7 "In cross-sectionithehousing: I 0': is shown: Fig. 6170 have notched grooves-t outer. edges;tofitrthe housing to tracksz. I118,'a'long which: the: housing'may: bemoved: The housing is usually: anchored in positionby anchoring! meansfastened-between.the ship and: eye, I392.

For the: purposes offaci'litating': the support anct positioning ofworkmen. and; particularly;. dtverstusuallyemployed in: a". salvageoperation; L

employ tracks .ZLIliiiandiM spacedivertically apart and: extending."longitvdinallyzof: the salvage: vessebalong: channel. between; arms; 34:and. 3.6-. Track 200:. receiyestwheel'si 202.- 01?. theoverhang ingframe26%.205 which-is supported in? cant/i? levermannenby. lower'legs206 which .have'wheelfs 208-- that ro1l.=. alongtrack 10.1. Members204,. 205;. are; cormeotedwby crosshead; 201w at their outer: ends; and!by; intermediate: crossbar 21 0t;v between; whichtwo-crossbarsextendinnertracks 242. that support. sheave 244-. for:variablepositioning. Gluten-tracks 21 6. form: a traclwray for thehang;- ing ;working; stage 220 ion tenders and other wor-k men,, andthis; stage hassofiset rollers 222 that roll along track. 2 I61. An:inboard shear/e224; is. located on suitable supporting frame; elements.imline; with: sheave 244 and. a. cable 226. on the; inboard end passesto a winch while its outer end carries the usual working stage, notshown, for the divers. With such a traveling frame movable along thesalvage vessel, a diver may be let down at any desired point at variabledistances from the side of the vessel, as space permits. The usualdiving attendants and other workmen may operate from staging 220.

Sheave 2I4 is movable along tracks 2I2 when the clamping screws 2I5 incheek plates 2I3 are various cables required from time to time. Such 1cable will normally be stored .on spools 232 and will be taken into andout of the locker by means of conveyors 234 between the lower part ofthelocker and the deck above.

Along the outboard edges of the arms 34 and 36 I arrange for shockabsorbing mechanism similiar to that along the margins of channels towhich cables I96 are attached. Cable 240 is hooked to such an outboardshock-absorber, passed under the outer bilge and under both arm 34 andvessel V to the starboard gunwale thereof. A similar cable 242 passesfrom the outer margin of arm 36, around its bilge and thereunder as wellas under vessel V, for attachment to the port gunwale thereof. Cables240 and 242 constitute a springy sling, as well as centering While Ihave shown and described particular I embodiments of my invention, itwill occur to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing I. in the lowersfromtheinvention', an'd'Itherefore aim in the ap pended claims to coverall such changes and modifications as fall within'the true spirit andscope of 'my invention.

.1 Having thus described my inventionyI claim:

2 A sea-going salvage vesselycomprising: -a U-shaped buoyant vesseladapted to move through the water with the arms of the U-shaped vesseldirected rearwardly, removable bridging means to span between thetrailing ends of said arms, each said arm having on its inboard side andforward of said bridging means a plurality of serially spaced-aparthoisting means to raise a salvaged vessel between said arms, saidhoisting means each including an arcuate track formed of rollerelements, said track extending from overside on the inner face of eacharm to overside on the outer face thereof, cable means to move on eachsaid track and having means on the inboard end for joinder to a vesselto be salvaged a'n'dhaving weighted means on the outboard end,cable-grip ping braking means operable upon said cable between the endsof said track, said braking'means including a fixed jaw and anopposed'springpressed movable jaw between which jaws the cable passes, alever to press said movable jaw to said fixed jaw, and an actuator forsaid lever; and shock absorbing means connecte'd'be'tween the 'vessel tobesalvaged and'each side of said arms adjacent the transverse line ofthe hoisting cable crossing the arm. T

' 2; A sea-going salvage ship,: comprising: a. U-shaped buoyant vesselwith .the arms of :the-

U'-shape directed rearwardly, an openwork bridgmg element removablysecured at each end to the rear of said arms and extending there-1between, upright track elements carried by said,

openwork bridging element, gate means slidably mounted insaid trackelements on said bridging element, and hoistingmeans carried by saidarms forward of said bridgingelement to elevate a salvaged' vesselbetween said arms. I i

TRUMAN K. JAMISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthispatent:

1 UNITED STATES PATENTS

